Launcher for flare and smoke signals



May-28, 1968 N. KOTIKOV LAUNCHER FOR FLARE AND SMOKE SIGNALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1967 6 MW a M 5 M m O w v m A F lb f 11v VENTOR MCI/044$ AOf/(OV May 28, 1968 N. KOTIKOV 3,385,163

LAUNCHER FOR FLARE AND SMOKE SIGNALS Filed on. 20, 1967 r 2 Sheets-Sheet z l" I V IN VEN TOR Ma /0145' (Of/KOV United States Patent 3,385,163 LAUNCHER FOR FLARE AND SMOKE SIGNALS Nicholas Kotikov, 3132 Unruh Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19149 Filed Get. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 676,879 7 Claims. (Cl. 89-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A launcher for flare and smoke signals comprising a rectangular container having therein parallel rows of vertical cavities. The aforesaid container houses in each of the cavities either flare or smoke signalling material and spring-loaded firing mechanisms. A trigger rod containing a plurality of recesses in each side thereof is mounted in a horizontally disposed cavity in the container. Horizontal movement of the trigger rod aligns the recesses of the trigger rod with the vertically disposed cavities for the release of the firing mechanisms.

This invention relates to launchers; more particularly, to launchers for flare and smoke signals in case of emergency calls for help in times of distress; and still more particularly, for launchers of the character herein described that are of the pocket type that can be carried at all times on ones person.

Launchers, as nearly everyone knows, are mechanical devices used to project a given object some distance from the device itself by the pressing of a trigger or button or the like. The object, which is released by a launcher, may be a flare, a smoke signal, a cartridge of tear gas or some other chemical substance, such as phosphorus, or it may be a plurality of bird shot or the like. It can even be a small balloon which will automatically become inflated on its being released from the launcher. The launcher can, in addition to being used for distress signalling, be used for self-defense if it is loaded with an incapacitating or destructive charge.

Resume of disclosure This launcher for flare and smoke signals comprises a rectangular container that is preferably the size of, or smaller than, a pack of cigarettes. The aforesaid container houses both the flare or smoke signalling material and the spring-loaded mechanism that is activated by a handoperated trigger or release ring, as will hereinafter be described.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a launcher for flare and smoke signals that can be carried in ones pocket for emergency use at all times.

Another object of this invention is to provide a launcher for flare and smoke signals that can be adapted to contain a plurality of any kind of visible signal material or the like that can be loaded into the launcher which is fitted with a safety device to prevent accidental discharge of the flare.

Another object of this invention is to provide a launcher for flare and smoke signals that can also be used for selfdefense by loading the device with tear gas cartridges or bird shot or the like.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a launcher for flare and smoke signals that embodies a minimum number of parts that can be produced in nearly any manufacturing plant and assembled with minimum skilled personnel, thereby keeping the overall cost of the launcher down to where it can be retailed at a price within the reach of everyone having need for a device of this nature.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will no doubt appear as the reading of this specification proceeds and the appended drawings are examined.

In the several views of the drawings, like parts of this invention are indicated by like reference numbers.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of this invention, taken substantially along line 11 of FIGURE 2, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of this invention, taken substantially along line 2--2 of FIGURE 1, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of this invention, taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 1, and rotated ninety degrees before being viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a view of that portion of this invention that is enclosed by the arrowed ellipse and indicated by the numeral 4 in FIGURE 1, but with the percussion pin in a released position.

FIG. 5 is a trigger end view of this invention with the lower part of its case broken away for reasons of clarity.

FIG. 6 is a view of that portion of this invention that is enclosed within the arrowed ellipse and indicated by the numeral 6 in FIGURE 1.

FIG. 7 is a side view of this invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of alternate construction of a portion of this invention, as will hereinafter be described.

In the several views of this invention, like parts are indicated by like reference numerals.

The reference numeral 10 indicates this invention in its entirety.

The invention embodies a rectangular body 11 the approximate size of a king size package of cigarettes. The aforesaid body 11 is preferably made of a strong molded plastic such as Delrin which is acetal resin composition derived by polymerization of formaldehyde. The body 11 contains a horizontally disposed cavity 12 that extends into the body from the side 13 to a point near the opposite side 14. The body also contains a plurality of spaced vertically disposed stepped cavities 15, as one can clearly see by examining FIGURES 1 and 2 of the appended drawings. A rod 16, which I call the trigger rod and which is made of any desirable low friction material such as nylon or the like, is slidably located in the aforesaid horizontally disposed cavity 12. The rod 16 contains a plurality of spaced U-shaped recesses 17 in each side of the smooth portion 18 thereof and the enlarged round end of the aforesaid rod 16 has a plurality of spaced V-shaped recesses 19 in the peripheral configuration thereof. A spring-loaded catch 20 is swingably mounted on the laterally disposed pin 21 in the upper end of the molded plastic trigger 22, as is clearly shown in FIGURES 1 and 6 of the appended drawings. The inverted V-shaped edge 23 of the aforesaid catch 20 is adapted to fit into any of the aforesaid V-shaped recesses in the enlarged round end of the rod 16.

Directing ones attention now to FIGURE 1 of the appended drawings, it will be seen that each of the aforesaid stepped cavities 15 is provided with a spring-loaded percussion pin 24 having a rounded upper end 25 and two spaced enlarged and parallel ring-like members 26 as well as a round flat head 27, all of which are made integrally with one another. The aforesaid ring-like anembers 26 of the pin 24 being of a diameter slightly less than that of the inside of the lower end of the aforesaid stepped cavities 15 in which each pin 24 vertically slides.

Continuing to look at FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the aforesaid stepped cavities 15 each have their enlarged end provided with an internally threaded insert 28, at the point where the cavity is reduced in diameter for the reception of the aforesaid spring-loaded percussion pin 24. A steel washer 29 is inserted in the bottom of the aforesaid insert 28 after which the pellet holder 30,

which has external threads on the lower end thereof, is screwed down into the internally threaded insert 28 after the primer 31 has been placed in the small end of the aforesaid pellet holder in the upper end of which is placed the pellet 32 which may be either the smoke or flare type.

The construction of this invention and its major parts have now been described with the exception of mentioning that the aforesaid trigger rod 16 is provided with an O ring 33 whose purpose will be so obviously understood by those experienced in the mechanical arts upon examination of FIGURE 1 of the appended drawings as to require no explanation in this specification. Also, the fact that the aforesaid trigger 22 is not only mounted on the laterally disposed trigger pin 34 but is spring-loaded by means of the horizontally disposed coil spring which has one end resting in a depression in the aforesaid rectangular body 11 and the other end in a depression in the aforesaid trigger 22 which is provided with any desired type of safety in order that the launcher may not accidentally be fired. One suggested form of a safety device is a thin metal housing 36 that fits over the lower portion of the aforesaid body 11, as is illustrated in FIGURES 1, 5, and 7 of the appended drawings. Here it is seen that a safety wire 37, having a pull ring 38, is so adapted to this invention and to its safety housing 36 that the housing cannot accidentally drop off the body 11.

When it is desired to fire this novel launcher, all one has to do is to remove the same from ones pocket or the like and point it upward away from ones body, pull the aforesaid ring 38, thereby releasing the hold of the thin metal housing 36 on the lower portion of the body of the launcher whose trigger 22 will now be pushed out in the position shown in FIGURE 6 of the appended drawings by the aforesaid spring 35. By holding this launcher in ones hand and squeezing the trigger 22, the action causes the inverted V-shaped edge 23 of the spring-loaded catch 29 to move the aforesaid trigger rod 16 forward by reason of the engagement of the edge 23 of the catch 20 being in one of the peripheral V-shaped recesses in the enlarged rounded end of the often-mentioned trigger rod 16. When this happens, and the rod is moved until one of its U- shaped recesses 17 is in line with one of the vertically disposed cavities 15, the spring-loaded percussion pin 24- will now be pushed upward with such force by its spring that the rounded upper end 25 of the pin 24 Will pass through the center of the steel washer 29 and on into the primer 31 which it fires in the usual manner in which any primer is normally fired. This firing of the primer will obviously cause the pellet 32 to be forced upward and out of the launcher for a distance of several hundred feet. Additional squeezing of the trigger 22 will cause the firing of the other pellets that are located in the launcher in the locations best understood by examination of FIG- URE 2 of the appended drawings.

From the foregoing, it is seen that I have not only provided a launcher for flares and smoke signals that meets the requirements set forth in the objects of this invention but other objects will no doubt come to the mind of those experienced in the hand launcher arts.

This invention is subject to any and all changes and/ or modifications one may care to make in the same in so long as the changes and/or modifications fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims. For example, the number of vertically disposed cavities and their loca tion to the trigger rod is not to be limited to the illustration indicated as FIGURE 2 in the appended drawing.

It may, in some instances, be desirable to so design and construct this invention in a way that all of its contained pellets will be fired at one squeezing of the trigger 22. Also, it may be desirable to have both flare and smoke pellets in the same launcher at the same time. The aforesaid trigger rod 16 can be spring-loaded, if it is so desired.

What I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A launcher for flare and smoke signals of the character described, comprising a body having a horizontally disposed cavity therein that extends from one side of the said body to a point near the other side of the said body, the said cavity containing a slidable trigger rod having one end so configurated as to be moved by handoperated mechanism, and the body of the said rod containing a plurality of recesses in each side thereof, the recesses being slightly larger than the vertically disposed and spaced cavities that are located in the said body, the vertically disposed cavities each containing a springloaded percussion pin in the lower portion thereof, and a flare, smoke, or other type of pellet in the upper end thereof as well as means of firing each pellet when the proper spring-loaded percussion pin is released by the horizontal movement of the said trigger rod.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said body is rectangular in shape and is made of molded plastic or the like.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the said body is provided with a rectangular recess in one lower corner thereof for the reception of a spring-loaded molded handoperated trigger.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein each of the percussion pins embody a rounded upper end adapted to fire the primer of the pellet located above each pin; and two spaced and parallel ring-like members slightly smaller in diameter than that of the diameter of the cavity in which the percussion pin is located; and a fiat round head on the lower end thereof that fits in the upper end of the coil spring that loads the said percussion pin.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein each of the verti cally disposed cavities in the said body has its lower end provided with a spring-loaded percussion pin smaller in diameter than that of its upper end in which is first located an internally threaded insert in the bottom of which is a Washer and pellet holder that has its lower end provided with external threads that are screwed down into the said insert on top of the said washer, the said pellet holder containing not only the pellet but its primer as well.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the said handoperated mechanism embodies both a spring-loaded trigger as well as a spring-loaded catch having an inverted V-shaped upper edge that is normally engaged in one of the plurality of V-shaped peripheral recesses that are located in one end of the said trigger rod.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein the said trigger is provided with structural means of preventing its activation until the desired time of firing the said launcher.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,417,500 5/1922 Coley et al. 891.5 X 2,371,994 3/1945 Hounowski 89-1.5

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. 

